I want her. I can’t even hide it from those around me, they see it too. She’s constantly on my mind from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. It’s driving me crazy—literally.
Since she came into my life I’ve been completely off my rocker. Handling and reacting to things in the worst waypossible. I’ve always been hard to deal with, but these last few months have been a whole other level of unhinged.
“I’m capable of deciding that for myself.” She throws a punch and I quickly dodge it.
“I know.” I crouch, readying myself for her to come at me again.
Chapter 30
Maya
Nick is standing in the middle of the room, hot, sweaty, and shirtless, in a pair of black gym shorts. His ripped shirt lies in the corner. My brain, still furious with him, is fighting a war with the overwhelming urge to drink in the sight of him.
“How are am I supposed to work in a strip club if you are going to lose your shit every time someone touches me?” I throw a jab, testing his reflexes.
He immediately blocks it. “You can bartend or waitress, you don’t have to be a dancer. That was just a way to get you deeper into the scene, but there are always ways around that.”
I throw a one-two combo and again, he’s waiting for it, but I throw a body shot before he regains his stance and catch him in the kidney. “Nice shot,” he whimpers.
“I don’t want to bartend or waitress,” I lie. I already have waitressing experience. I can do that blindfolded. I come in for more swings and manage to hit him in his already busted lip, effectively splitting the skin again, then back up.
“Entertaining your clients after work is strictly forbidden, not only for your safety but to keep from jeopardizing the secrecy of this operation. If you can’t handle that, tell me now so I can find someone else.”
The way he says it really sets me off. I lay into him several times before having to break and catch my breath.
“How dare you assume I’m just some whore who is going to want to fuck every guy I dance for just because you thought I was enjoying myself too much with one guy. You don’t know me. I am more than capable of doing this jobwithout fucking every guy I see.” I throw my fists up and lay into him again, this might be my only shot to take my anger out on him. He blocks most of them with the exception of some body shots. His moves are even more fluid and calculated than Lucas’, it’s impressive.
I close in on him, throwing one arm up to misdirect his attention. When he reaches up to block, I close in as quickly as I can and swipe his legs out from under him.
It backfires. My leg tangles with his when he tries to correct his balance. I lose my balance in the process and grab on to the first solid thing in my reach—him. His fast reflexes catch me, and he spins us around, landing on his back, me on top of him.
We lie there for a second, both stunned from the fall. His arm is still wrapped around my waist and my head on his chest. It’s alarming how natural this feels. I listen to a few rapid beats of his heart then quickly come to my senses and sit up, my legs straddling his.
A sense of pride and accomplishment washes over me. “Maybe I should apply to be a bouncer, after all I was able to take the notorious Nick Ryer to the ground,” I huff, wiping the sweat from my face.
Next thing I know, I’m lying flat on my back with my hands pinned above my head and his knees between my legs with him leaning over me.
“The thing about takedowns is, they’re not very effective unless you can keep your opponent down.” He’s close enough for me to feel his breath in my face. Hot blood drips from his mouth on to my chest.
I twist my body from side to side, pushing and pulling with my arms and legs trying to break free. He puts more of his weight into my body, using his legs to push my legs apart. It’s a power move designed to keep your opponent from wriggling free.
“You didn’t deserve for me to react that way.” He bows his head like he’s been defeated, takes a deep breath, wipes more blood from his mouth on his arm, and quickly recovers. “I can’t control myself when it comes to you. That’s my problem, not yours. I should’ve never taken it out on you and I’m sorry.”
My breath becomes a little more ragged, trying to keep up with the oxygen demands of my racing heart. It’s so easy to be mad at him and pretend I don’t want him as much as I do when he’s not this close to me. I stop fighting and brave a look at him.
Panicking, I say the stupidest thing that comes to mind before I have time to stop myself, “Is this where we kiss and make up?” I turn my head, embarrassed by what I said.
He leans in closer, his face in the crook of my neck, his cheek resting against mine. “Is that what you want? Be careful what you ask for.” He runs his nose over my skin, sending the kind of shivers only he can elicit down my spine.
“Or what?” I arch my back, pressing my body into his.
I want him. Not because he apologized, not because I’ve forgiven him—because I haven’t—but because as much as I try to deny it, I want him, even when he’s being an asshole.
He wraps a hand firmly around my throat, pressing on my jaw and forcing me to arch my neck to the side. His lips line kisses from my shoulders, slowly and agonizingly making theirway up my neck. He runs his tongue slowly up my pulse point on a trail that’ll eventually lead to my destruction.
He makes his way up, stopping just short of my mouth. “Once I taste the sweetness of your lips again, I’m going to want more. We’ve already established my self-control is shit when it comes to you.” His ragged pant is full of warning and he grinds his hips down into mine, forcing me to feel how hard he is for me.
“Then don’t stop.”
